Service door



F. J. MATCHETTE.

SERVICE DOOR. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20,1919.

1,403,559. Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

F0 1 FT EiTS HEET I. I (7 N i d gm a fi F g i7 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS F. J. MATCHETTE.

SERVICE 0008.

APPLlCATlQN FILED JUNE 20,1919- 7 1,403,559. Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2,

23 i =7: 75 i a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK J. MATCHETTE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO S ERVIDOR COMPANY, or

NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

SERVICE DOOR.

v Application filed June 20, 1919. Serial No.

T 0 all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, FRANK J. MA'roHE'rTE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New- York and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Service Doors, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to service doors.

In my copending application serial No.-

120,599 filed September 18, 1916, I have illustrated types of service doors designed primarily for use in hotels, clubs, and the like, features of which however may be found useful in other relations. Each of the doors therein shown include a door frame of any approved or ordinary construction and supporting and embracing a cabinet through which articles of clothing, supplies, and other objects may be transferred to and from the room of the guest without requiring his personal attendance at the door, and without-in any way violating the privacy of the room.

In the application above referred to the cabinet is divided into upper and lower compartments by means of a fixed partition secured to the side walls of the cabinet and against which thecabinet doors closeQ It has been found however, that unless care is taken, articles of clothing, and the like, placed within the upper compartment arefrequently caught between the partition and either of the doors.

One object of the present invention is to provide a cabinet in which this difficulty will be avoided. This may be accomplished by fixing the partition to one of the doors so as to swing therewith.

The doors illustrated-in the above mentioned application are provided with damper controlled ventilating passages above and below the cabinet for permitting proper ventilation of the room.

Another object of this invention is to provide an automatic means for closing the ventilators in case of fire. As a consequence, all possibility of flame, smoke or water passing through these ventilating passages is removed. A door thus equipped has all the advantages of an ordinary ventilated door and yet, in case of fire, forms an effectual barrier against fire and smoke.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 17, 1922. 305,538

Other objects and advantages of the present' invention will hereinafter appear.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated-in the accompanying drawings.

The views of the drawings are as follows:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a service door embodying the features of this invention, portions of the cabinet door being broken away to uncover normally hidden parts. The room side of the door is illustrated in this figure.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the door illustrated in Figure 1, showing the hall side thereof. 1 Figure 3 is a horizontal section on a larger scale through the door, taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical section through the door taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure. 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section on a. still larger scale illustrating the open and closed positions of the damper employed.

Figure 6 is afragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 66 of Figure 4.

. Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical section take-n substantially on the line 77 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a damper closing device, showing the position of the parts thereof before assembly.

The service door illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, of the drawings includes a main door of standard construction having the usual hinge and lock stiles 1 and 2 and top 7 and 8 secured to the stiles 1 and 2 respectively and preferably extended beyond the inner edges of the rails 3 and 4. For this purpose the rails may be cut away as at 9 to receive the ends of the side members (Figure 1). The top and bottom frame members 10 and 11 of the cabinet are rigidly connected with the side members but are preferably spaced from the rails whereby ventilating passages are formed through the door structure above and below the cabinet.

The top and bottom frame members 10 and 11 are generally oval in shape, as is shown in plan in Figure 3. The cross-section of the cabinet shown in this figure is not strictly oval but might be more accurately described as barrel shaped, the two frame members 7 and 8 being substantially parallel and the edges of the top and bottom frame members 10 and 11 bulging out sub stantially symmetrically at the center. Cabinets of other shapes may be employed without departing from the present invention but it is particularly advantageous to employ a cabinet of a maximum depth substantially at the center thereof and tapering toward the opposite vertical edges thereof. A cabinet shaped in this manner will permit a maximum swinging movement of the main door structure against the adjacent wall of the building and will hence effect a maximum clearance through the main door opening. At the same time the capacity of the cabinet is not materially reduced. Furthermore due to the narrow end of the cabinet adjacent the main door knobs 6 the cabinet does not interfere with the ready grasping and operation of the knobs.

The sides of the cabinet are entirely covered by the doors 12 and 1.3 which may be hinged to the side frame member 7 to seat against the free edges of the side members 7 and 8 when closed. Strips of rubber 10, 11 or other suitable packing material secured to a longitudinal edge of the top and bottom members form a tight seal for the cabinet when the doors are closed. The doors are preferably smoothly finished upon the outside without seams or lines and extend the entire length of the side members 7 and 8 to conceal the ventilating passages between the rails 3 and 4 and the top and bottom framemembers 10 and 11. By this construction direct rays of light are prevented from passing through the ventilating passages and the privacy of the room is not destroyec A shelf such as shown at 14 (Figures 3 and 4) is preferably secured to one of the doors of the cabinet. In the present instance the shelf is shown mounted upon the hall' door 13. The shelf is preferably somewhat narrower than the cabinet so that a slight clearance is provided between the shelf and door 12 to avoid pinching such articles of clothing, etc. therebetween as are placed within the cabinet.

The doors may be provided with an interconnecting means for limiting the outwardly swinging movement thereof and for holding each door against accidental closing from its extreme open position. As shown in Figure 3 this means comprises a pair of links 15 and 16 each pivotally supported by means of suitable brackets 17 and 18 mounted upon the inner sides of the doors 12 and 13, respectively. The links are pivbottom frame members 10 and 11.

otally connected at 19. Link 15 is provided with an extended end 20 for engagement with a lug 21 on the link'16 to limit the relative pivotal movement between the links. When the door 12 is closed the door 13 may be swung to the dotted line position of Figure 3. Likewise when the door 13 is closed the other door may be swung to a corresponding position. In either event however, the links prevent the opening of a door to such an extent as to strain the hinges thereof. Furthermore due to the straight line position of the links when a door is in open position the open door is effectively held against accidental swinging movement.

Means is provided for controlling the circulation of air through the ventilating passages above and below the cabinet. In the present instance this means comprises swinging dampers 22 and 23, extending from end to end of these passages. The dampers have their lower edges curled about suitable rods 25, which have pivotal support in small brackets 26 and 27 secured to the top g rtild e swinging edges of the dampers are preferably provided with cushioning strips 27' of felt, rubber, or the like for contact with the rails 3 and 4. These strips afford a tight seal for the ventilating passages when the dampers are closed and also serve to deaden the sound which might otherwise be produced by a quick closing operation. The closed condition of the dampers not only prevents the flow of air through the ventilating passages but also prevents the passage of sound therethrough. The strips 10 and 11' prevent the passage of sound around the ventilating passages and through the cabinet.

Damper control rods 28 and 29, vertically arranged preferably at one end of the cabinet, are pivotally connected with the dampers as at 30 and 31, respectively. These rods are also pivotally connected as at 32 and 33 to the opposite endsof a lever 34 secured intermediate its ends upon a rock shaft 35. The shaft 35 is journaled at one end in a suitable bracket 36 mounted within the cabinet and is operatively connected at its opposite end to a suitable actuating mechanism preferably mounted in the main door frame. In the embodiment illustrated this actuating mechanism includes a rockable frame having side plates 37 pivotally mounted upon a pin 38 secured in a suitable bracket 39 secured within the stile 2 of the main door. The side plates 37 are connected at their opposite ends by pins 40 which pass through the inner ends of suitable push buttons 41, 42 and also through a third plate 43. 'Plate 43 is operatively connected with the rock shaft 35 by any convenient means such as a pin 44 passing through ears 45 carried by the plate. A pin 46 carried by the side plates, and movable in arcuate slots 47 in the bracket limits the rocking movement of the frame. The push buttons extend through the base of the bracket 39 and through a suitable cover plate 48 beyond the outer face of the stile 2 and thus form a convenient means for operating the damper control means.

When the dampers are in the closed position of Figure 4, one of the buttons 41 is in a depressed position while the'other button 42 is extended. In order to throw both dampers to the open position of Figure 5 it is only necessary to press the button 42. This causes a rocking of the frame plates 37 and 43, the rock shaft 35, and the lever 34 and a consequent shifting of the damper control rods 28 and 29 in opposite directions to lower the upper and raise the lower dampers to their open positions. By this operation the button 41 is thrown to extended position. The closing of the dampers is effected in a similar manner by pressing button 41. For purposes of convenience the cover plate 48 may bear suitable legends to indicate which is the opening and which the closing button.

Means is provided for automatically closing the dampers in case of fire. In the embodiment illustrated this means is in the form of a fusible device adapted to throw the dampers to closed position when the temperature thereof rises to a predetermined point. This device includes an upstanding bracket 49 positioned intermediate the ends of a damper and rigidly secured preferably to the top frame member 10 of the cabinet. At its upper end this bracket carries a soldering plate 50 to which is attached the damper operating member 51 by a solder of low fusing point. The plate 50 is preferably made separable from the bracket 49 to facilitate resolderin of the plate to the operating member 51 a ter operation of the device. For this purpose the plate is provided with a down turned tongue 52 adapted to project through a, slot 53 in the bracket and seat in a depression 54 formed by stamping a portion of the metal out of the plane of the bracket. The parts are removabl secured in assembled relation by means 0 a lip 55 struck up from the surface of the tongue and adapted to engage in a suitable perforation 56 in the bracket. Side flanges 57 carriedby the plate also aid in holding the parts in assembled relation by their engagement against the rear face of the bracket.

A pin 58 carried by the flanges 57 serves to support one end of a tension spring 59. The other end of the spring is connected to the bottom of the damper operating member 51 by a pin 60 passing through the member.v The operating member is preferably formed of sheet metal and includes a main body portion preferably curved as shown in F i ure 8 for purposes of stiffness, and a lip 61%)ent at an an le to the body portion and adapted to be soTdered to the upper surface of the plate 50. The lip 61 is preferably slotted to fit over a centering rib 62 struck up from the surface of plate 50. The lower corners of the operating member 51 are crimped inwardly and support the pin 60 Whose ends extend beyond the sides of the operating member. The body portion of the operating member 51 passes loosely through a slot 63 in the damper, (Figure 5) this slot being slightly wider than the member 51, but not sufiiciently wide to clear the projecting ends of the pin 60.

Thus it will be seen that a lost motion connection is established between the damper 22 and the fusible closing devlce which permits operation of the dampers without interference by the fusible device. Upon upward movement of the operatmg member 51, however, the projecting ends of the pin 60 will engage the under face of the damper and raise the damper to closed position.

When the temperature on either the hall or room side of the ventilator rises to a predetermined point the fusible solder will soften and release theoperatin member 51, which will be snapped upwar ly under the influence of the spring 59 to the dotted line position of Figure 5, drawing the damper 22 up to its closed position. The closing movement of the upper damper 22 will, of course, effect a closing of the lower damper 23 through the operating rods 28 and 29 and the lever 35.

To restore the fusible closing device to operative condition it may first be removed from its rather inaccessible position in the ventilating passage. This may be accomplished by first springing the tongue 52 in such manner as to disengage the lip 55 from the perforation 56 and removing the plate 50 from its supporting bracket. The operating member 51 may be freed from the damper 22 after a slight rotation to permit the ends of the pin 60 to clear the slot 63. The plate 50 and lip 61 may then be resoldercd together with the spring 59 under tension and these parts reassembled with the bracket 49 and the damper 22 as above explained. Another and perhaps preferred method of taking care of this situation is to keep on hand a small supply of extra units consisting of the operating member 51 and soldering plate 50 secured together and all ready to be substituted in lieu of a used unit.

Referring again to the doors of the cabinet it will be noted that they are provided with suitable locks 64 and 64' which co operate with an interlocking mechanism 65 so that only one door at a time can be opened. The interlocking mechanism herein employed is substantially the same as that fully described in my copending application Serial No. 190,440, filed September 10, 1917 It will sufiice for the present purposes to know that it includes an interlocking detent 66 engageable in a slot 67 in each of the lock bolts 68 of the opposite door locks (31 and 61 for preventing the release of either lock bolt at the time that the other is withdrawn. As in the application above referred to the interlocking mechanism is enclosed in a suitable casing 69. In the present instance however the ends of the easing are preferably closed by end caps 70 to prevent tampering with the enclosed mechanism and the casing is secured within the cabinet in a novel manner. For this purpose the casing is provided with flat ears 71 adapted to be secured to the inner surface of the side frame member 8 of the cabinet. The top and bottom of the casing are cut away behind the cars 71 as shown at 72 to receive the raised marginal flanges 73 of a fixed plate 74. The plate is first secured to the inner surface of the side frame member 8 by any appropriate means such as screws 75. The casing is then placed with the ears 71 against the frame member and by a vertical sliding movement is brought to such position as to completely cover the screws 75 and to bring the cars 71 beneath the flanges 73 of the plate. The ears may then be secured to member 8 by any appro priate means such as screws 76. By this construction it is impossible for one, who has gained access to the interior of the cabinet through the outer door, to remove the interlocking mechanism. and thus release the inner door and enter the room. Should the screws 76 be removed the fixed plate 74 by the engagement of the flanges 73 thereof with the cars 71 prevents any movement of the casing except in a vertical direction.

The interengagement of the advanced bolt 68 of the locked door with the interlocking mechanism prevents movement of the casing in a vertical direction. The fact that the screws 75 are thus always covered by the casing prevents removal of the fixed plate 74. Thus it is impossible to remove the casing as long as one of the doors is locked.

The top and bottom of the casing may be further cut away as at 77 to permit the free passage of the damper control rod 29 therethrough.

Various changes may be made in the spe cific embodiment of the invention hereinabove described without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages of the in-.

vention as defined in the following claims.

I claim: 1. In combination, a main wall, a casing or cabinet su ported in fixed position in said mam we said cabinet having one and thereof spaced away from. said main wall to form a ventilating passage between opposite sides of the main wall, a damper means controlling said yentilating passage, and thermally controlled means for automatically closing said damper means.

2. In combination, a main wall, a casing or cabinet supported in fixed position in said main wall, said cabinet having one end thereof spaced away from the main wall, the side walls of said cabinet projecting over the space between the frame and the main wall to form an indirect ventilating passage between opposite sides of the main wall, a damper member controlling said ventilating passage, manually operatable means for said damper member, and fusible means for automatically closing said damper member.

3. In combination, a service door, a ventilating passage through said door, a damper member for closing said ventilating passage, and thermally controlled means for controlling the position of said damper member.

4:. In combination, a service door, a plurality of ventilating passages through said door, damper members for closing said ventilating passages, and fusible means for simultaneously closing all of said damper members.

- 5. In combination, aservice door, a ventilating passage through said door, a'damper member for closing said ventilating passage, manual means for operating said damper member, spring means for automatically closing said damper member, and fusible means for releasing said spring means.

6. In combination, a service door, a ventilating passage through said door, a damper for closing said ventilating passage, manual means for operating said damper, a bracket member supported adjacent said damper, a spring secured to said bracket member and operable to close said damper, an operating member for restraining said spring, said operating member being attached to said bracket by fusible material and adapted to release said spring at a predetermined temperature.

7. In combination, a service door, a ventilating passage through said door, a damper for closing said ventilating passage, manual means for operating said damper, a stationary bracket member supported adjacent said damper, an operating memberattached to said bracket member by fusible material, a tension spring connected between said bracket member and said operating member, said operating member having a lost motion connection with said damper to permit independent operation of said damper by said manual operating means, said operating member being operable to close said damper under the action of said tension spring upon the melting of said fusible material.

8. In combination, a. service door, a ventimosses lating passage through said door, a damper for closing said ventilating passage, manual means for operating said damper, a stationary bracket member supported in said ventilating passage, a. plate mounted upon said bracket, an operating member attached to said plate by fusible material, a tension spring connected between said plate and said operating member, said operating member having connectionwith said damper and operable to close the same under the action of said tension spring upon the melting of said fusible material, said plate' and said operating member being readily separable from the bracket and damper respectively to facilitate the substitution or resoldering of the plate and operating member.

9. In a device of the class described the combination of a main wall, a cabinet mounted in said wall including top and bottom frame members and doors arranged on opposite sides thereof, a ventilating passage through said wall adjacent one of said frame members-a closure for said ventilating passage, and packing material interposed between said frame member and one of said doors for preventing the passage of sound from one side to the other of said wall through said cabinet. 7

10. In a device of the class described the combination with a door of a cabinet mounted in said door including top and bottom frame members and doors arranged on opposite sides thereof, ventilating passages through said supporting door above and below said cabinet, closures for said passages, and packing material interposed between each of said top and bottom members and one of said cabinet doors for preventing the passage of sound from one side to the other of said supporting door through said cabinet. 7

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 16th day of June, 1919.

.FRANK MAICI-IETTE. 

